Denver Startup Week is hitting record numbers in its fourth year. Two days into this week’s event, organizers say registration has hit 10,000 (this post started a few minutes earlier when organizers told me they were at 9,975).

The Denver Office of Economic Development named the following Denver companies as its 2015 gazelles:

• Altitude Digital, a video advertising firm started six years ago with founder Jeremy Ostermiller and $500, employs 90.
• Four Winds Interactive, a 10-year-old agency that provides digital signs and tools, employs 325.
• ProtectWise, a network security firm with a cloud-based DVR, launched two years ago and has raised $17 million.
• Wayin, which helps companies better use social media, was founded in 2010 by Sun Microsystems co-founder Scott McNealy and now employs 61 people. Read more…

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One new investor was not disclosed, but another is David Duffield, founder of PeopleSoft and co-founder of Workday Inc. The round also included investments from existing investors U.S. Venture Partners, SAP founder Hasso Plattner and McNealy. The company previously has raised at least $33.5 million.

McNealy said the new money will be used to scale and grow the business, with plans to expand internationally and hire more sales, engineering and “creative talent” employees. He also delves a little deeper into product changes in a post on LinkedIn.

Wayin, which employed 55 people as of May, helps companies figure out what digital content is doing well. For example, it uses Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to help companies engage fans and potential customers. McNealy, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, returned to the CEO role in May because of the company’s rapid growth. The company says it has grown year-over-year sales by 250 percent in two years.

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Home-grown software and web developer SpireMedia is no more. Or at least don’t call it that anymore. The Denver company changed its name to Spire Digital and launched its new website today.

“Essentially, the change is because the term ‘media’ became antiquated for what we do and it became confusing to our clients and the industry as a whole,” said founder Michael Gellman.

A lot of time and thought went into the change, as evident from the new signage on its River North Art District headquarters that went up last month. Gellman said the company also spent about $200,000 to update the brand.

As Gellman told clients this week, “we noticed that something most definitely did not feel fresh. It was the term media,” he wrote.

“Media has lots of meanings, but digital product development isn’t one of them. As for multimedia, it’s now more commonly used to describe papier-mâché collages with flashing lights and a soundtrack than strategic consulting or software innovation,” he said.

Welcome to our feature highlighting the numerous Colorado tech companies that make cool stuff. These little snippets are intended for readers to explore the technology being made right here. One company at a time, of course.

TeamSnap

Organizing a team of distracted kids (and parents) is no fun. But TeamSnap’s snazzy mobile app simplifies the process and ensures nobody forgets to bring snacks!

Organizing a sports team can really take the fun out of coaching. That may be why TeamSnap has gone from nifty mobile app to the tool of choice for 800,000 teams worldwide in a decade. The app became a company and launched its Boulder headquarters when CEO David DuPont took over in 2009. It’s seen tremendous adoption by amateur teams everywhere. And who wouldn’t want an app that can register new members, reschedule practice on the fly and help parents figure out who’s bringing snacks? A free version for smaller teams exists but for features like team stats, e-mail alerts and the all-important refreshments, a monthly fee applies.Headquarters: 2040 14th Street, 1st Floor, in BoulderFounded: 2009Founders: Andrew Berkowitz, David DuPontEmployees: 60, with 15 in BoulderRecent news: Raised $10 million from several Colorado investors.Home on the Web: TeamSnap.com

Are you a Colorado tech business in the consumer world? Submit your information at dpo.st/coinfo for consideration.

Denver’s own Active Junky, which connects astute shoppers to cash-back discounts on outdoor goods, is now part of Purch, a New York digital content firm that also owns tech-review sites like Tom’s Hardware.

Active Junky partnered with more than 200 retailers of outdoor goods, including REI, Sierra Trading Post and The North Face. Shop for items through Active Junky links and users can get some cash back — REI offers 6 percent. The site also aggregates coupon codes for extra discounts. Read more…

If you’ve tried to use that new credit card with the gold chip on it, you’ve probably been unsuccessful. Many retailers don’t appear ready. The ones I’ve visited say their chip-reading machines aren’t working yet — if they even have one at all.

Before the October 1 deadline goes into effect (that’s when Visa and other credit cards will stop taking responsibility for fraudulent non-chip-card purchases), the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is hosting a session on Tuesday just for retailers and small businesses.

Experts from Visa and Colorado’s FirstBank will be there. It’s free to attend, but the chamber would like an RSVP:

The app helps coaches and parents figure out the game plan — before, during and after the game. App features include registration, team rosters and schedule management. (All the features are mentioned on TeamSnap’s pricing page.) And when a sports club has 2,000 players, like TeamSnap client Colorado Premier Basketball Club, going digital makes sense. Read more…

There will be stuff for sale, including offering Audio Technica headphones, Seiko watches and KitchenAid 2 immersion blenders for $20 each. Other eBay birthday deals online, however, show very few items for $20.

According to an eBay spokesperson, the headphones and watches sold out in less than two hours at the San Francisco event. Hence, get to the mall early if you want one of the $20 items.

Colorado Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia is credited with getting Comcast Corp. to expand its $10 Internet service to low-income community college students.

Comcast Corp. on Wednesday expanded its $10 Internet service to low-income community college students in Colorado and Illinois.

Comcast said it chose Colorado as one of two community college pilot programs for its Internet Essentials service because of the enthusiasm and support the state’s Lt. Governor Joe Garcia, who is also executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

“When we launch programs, we want them to be a success, not a failure,” David L. Cohen, Comcast’s senior executive vice president said during the announcement event at the Community College of Denver on Wednesday.

Students at the state’s 15 community colleges are eligible for the discounted Internet if they receive Federal Pell Grant funds. According to Comcast, that includes half of the state’s community college students, or about 40,000 people. There are a few other requirements, such as not being in debt to Comcast for the past year. The program starts today and students can call 1-855-851-3638 or submit an application at internetessentials.com/college, which requires a transcript and Pell Grant letter. Details are on the site.

“For us, this was the most natural extension possible because we target education,” Cohen said. “We want to continue Internet service for community college students who no longer have it at home.” Read more…

Tamara Chuang covers personal technology and local tech news for The Denver Post. She previously spent 10 years doing the same thing for The Orange County Register before taking a hiatus to move here and become a SAHM to a precocious toddler.